Battery terminal boot



Oct. 3, 1967 H Pom-mus 3,345,602

BATTERY TERMINAL BOOT Filed April 11, 1966 INVENTOR. C. H. PonT/ous ATTYS.

United States Patent Filed Apr. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 541,750 4 Claims. (Cl. 339115) This invention relates in general to storage batteries as used in connection with internal combustion engines in motor vehicles.

The major object 'of the invention is to provide a novel boot arranged to completely enclose and protect each terminal clamp and the related battery post in such a manner that corrosion of the clamp and post is avoided, and these parts are kept free of dirt and acid accumulation.

Another object of the invention is to form or construct the boots in such a manner that they may be easily and quickly applied about the terminal clamps and posts so as to completely enclose the same, while enabling the boots to be easily opened to expose the clamps for detachment from the posts when necessary to remove and replace the battery; this being possible without any damage being done to the boots such as would prevent reuse of them.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boot for the purpose which is formed from a material unaffected by battery acid; such material being impregnated with a substance which resists attack by battery acid on the terminal clamps and battery posts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a battery terminal boot which is designed for ease and econorny of manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable battery terminal boot and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the improved terminal boot in its detached and unfolded form.

FIG. 2 is a side or edge elevation of the boot as initially disposed flat atop a battery in surrounding relation to a post thereof; a terminal clamp being shown as then secured to such post.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the boot as in FIG. 2, but shows the boot wings as folded over the clamp and post, and secured together by a clip.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the boot in its fully folded, in-use position enclosing the related clamp and post.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the boot in its fully folded, in-use position of FIG. 4-- is indicated generally at 1; such boot being comprised essentially of a foam plastic pad 2 which is soft, pliable, porous, and readily manually deformable. The pad 2 may be made from Du Pont Hylene or other similar foam plastic available in sheet form and of substantial thicknesswhich is unaffected by battery acid; such pad 2 being impregnated with a substance such as motor oil whereby (when the boot 1 is in use) to prevent attack of such battery acid on the boot-enclosed clamp and post.

The pad 2 is of elongated, generally rectangular and initially flat form; the length of the pad being somewhat greater than twice the length of a conventional terminal clamp T, while the width of the pad is greater than the width of such clamp. See FIG. 1.

Intermediate its ends, and considerably closer to one end thereof than to the other, the pad 2 is formed with a transversely central hole 3 therethrough; such hole being of a size to snugly embrace a battery post P.

Formed with and projecting late-rally out from the sides of the pad in opposed relation to each other, and in alinement with the hole 3, are wings 4. As shown the wings 4 are preferably of substantially semi-circular form with a radius somewhat less than half the width of the pad.

Close to said one end of the pad 2, the latter is formed with a pair of transversely spaced relatively small holes 5; the spacing of such holes being greater than the diameter of the battery cable C which is secured to and projects from one end of the clamp T. The holes 5 are adapted to receive and locate a length of flate tie strip 6 of plastic with an embedded wire. The tie strip 6 is threaded through the holes 5 so that the central portion of the strip overlies the pad and the end portions project laterally outward from the underside of said pad.

To apply the pad 2 to each terminal clamp T and related battery post P as an enclosing boot 1, said pad is first laid flat on the battery B with the post P projecting through hole 3, and with the length of the pad extending generally lengthwise of the adjacent portion of the cable C; the tie strip 6 (already having been threaded through holes 5) lying directly below said cable. Thereafter, the terminal clamp T is mounted in position on the post P as shown. Nextly, the wings 4 are folded over the clamp T, and are secured in substantial contact with each other by means of an opposed-prong clip 7 as shown in FIG. 3. The relatively long portion 8 of the pad beyond the wings 4 is then turned back over the folded wings so that the ends of the pad are substantially alined with each other.

Lastly, the end portions of the tie strip 6 are brought up, crossed, and pulled tight so as to deform or squeeze both end portions of the pad so that they closely embrace the adjacent portion of the cable C as indicated at 9 in FIG. 4; said end portions of the tie strip being then tied together as shown at 10'.

As so applied, the pad 2 forms a boot which completely encloses the terminal clamp and the engaged battery post. As the pad is impregnated with a substance which resists battery acid, the terminal clamp and battery post are kept from corroding, and no dirt or the like can settle on the clamp and post, or on top of the battery about the post.

Thus, use of the boots in the manner described substantially eliminates the need to change the terminal clamps because they have become corroded, and the expense of replacement parts is avoided. Also, the boots prevent possible short-circuit power drain between the terminals across the top of the battery, and the top surface of the battery is maintained in good condition, assuring of longer battery life.

In addition to providing a protective enclosure for a battery post and terminal clamp, the boot also embraces and protects the adjacent part of the cable C.

Whenever it is necessary to change the battery, each boot can be easily unfolded-without any damage being done to the boot materialso as to expose the terminal clamp for unfastening from the related post; the boot thus being reusable.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a battery terminal boot as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the battery terminal boot, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined-by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired: r

1. A terminal boot for a storage battery having an upstanding post adapted for engagement by the terminal clamp of a current-carrying cable; the boot comprising a member adapted to provide an enclosure for the post, clamp, and the adjacent portion of the cable, the member being of pliable material and initially in the form of an elongated pad adapted to rest on top of the battery, the pad having a hole therethrough intermediate its ends to closely receive the portion of the battery post beneath the clamp, integral wings on and projecting from opposite sides of the pad in substantial alinement With said hole, the wings being adapted to be folded toward each other and over the clamp and post, a longitudinal portion of the pad beyond the wings initially extending generally opposite the cable and being adapted to be turned back over the folded Wings and to thence extend to the other end of the pad, and means to releasably engage the then upper and lower end portions of the pad and squeeze the same about the adjacent portion of the cable.

2. A terminal boot, as in claim 1, in which the memher is made of foam plastic, impregnated with a protective substance.

3. A terminal boot, as in claim 1, in which the said means comprises a transversely extending tie strip arranged with said lower end portion of the pad and projecting from opposite sides thereof whereby the strip can be brought up from opposite ends, crossed over the upper end portion of the pad, pulled tight, and then tied.

4. A terminal boot as in claim 1 including means to detachably maintain the wings in such folded-over position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,980,121 11/1934 Wallace 339116 2,098,091 11/1937 Gamble 339-116 2,820,208 1/1958 Howells 339-416 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD E. MOORE, Examiner. 

1. A TERMINAL BOOT FOR A STORAGE BATTERY HAVING AN UPSTANDING POST ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE TERMINAL CLAMP OF A CURRENT-CARRYING CABLE; THE BOOT COMPRISING A MEMBER ADAPTED TO PROVIDE AN ENCLOSURE FOR THE POST, CLAMP, AND THE ADJACENT PORTION OF THE CABLE, THE MEMBER BEING OF PLIABLE MATERIAL AND INITIALLY IN THE FORM OF AN ELONGATED PAD ADAPTED TO REST ON TOP OF THE BATTERY, THE PAD HAVING A HOLE THERETHROUGH INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS TO CLOSELY RECEIVE THE PORTION OF THE BATTERY POST BENEATH THE CLAMP, INTEGRAL WINGS ON AND PROJECTING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PAD IN SUBSTANTIAL ALINEMENT WITH SAID HOLE, THE WINGS BEING ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED TOWARD EACH OTHER AND OVER THE CLAMP AND POST, A LONGITUDINAL PORTION OF THE PAD BEYOND THE WINGS INITIALLY EXTENDING GENERALLY OPPOSITE THE CABLE AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE TURNED BACK OVER THE FOLDED WINGS AND TO THENCE EXTEND TO THE OTHER END OF THE PAD, AND MEANS TO RELEASABLY ENGAGE THE THEN UPPER AND LOWER END PORTIONS OF THE PAD AND SQUEEZE THE SAME ABOUT THE ADJACENT PORTION OF THE CABLE. 